


His Spirit Is Broken

by TyDyePanda



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Gay, Gay Male Character, M/M, Original Character(s), Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-05-23 21:40:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14941865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TyDyePanda/pseuds/TyDyePanda
Summary: A boy who is cursed and a girl who wants nothing to do with her family. What happens when he finds out she is family?





	1. Character sheet

Name: Zax Onyx-Heartfilia

Race: Human, cursed.

Age: 16 (X784)

Weight: 120 pounds

Height: 5’6”

Birthday: X768

Family:  
Lucy Heartfilia, Half sister. 17. Living.  
Muci Onyx, mother. Deceased.  
Jude Heartfilia, father. Living.

Hair color: White

Eye color: Turquoise

Affiliation: Onyx Clan

Occupation: Mage

Team: none

Guild: none

Personality: Zax is shy around strangers, but once he warms up to someone he is sweet and caring. He would do anything for those he cares for and will defend them no matter what. He would die to protect his friends.

Magic and abilities: Zax uses a strange magic called Cursed Magic. When he uses his magic his body changes; His hair grows exponentially longer, his horns grow in size and his eyes turn grey. His canines sharpen into fangs and his personality changes drastically. This form is one he has called his Cursed form.

Weapons: Zax uses three different weapons.  
The first is a set of twin swords or duel swords. When in his normal form the swords are silver with red Chinese dragons etched into the blade, the head of the dragons start at the tip of the blade with the tail becoming the hilt. When in Cursed form the blades turn black and the dragons mouths open, flames surrounding the blades as if the dragons were breathing fire.  
The second are senbon needles, a weapon often used by assassins. These needles are used in stealthy situations and, though usually used for killing, Zax uses them to knock out his enemies.  
The third and final weapon is a knife his mother made him. The blade is made with Obsidian that glows red and pulsates when Zax is in his cursed form. The hilt has a dragon etched into it with a compartment at the end for healing ointments.

Past: Zax was raised by his mother alone. The two lived in Eldwald forest, raised and grew their food, and trained their magic. His mother had built their home herself. She had been paid by Zax’s father, Jude, to keep their affair a secret. The reason for Zax’s cursed form is due to a curse that was placed on the Onyx family line, passing it on from parent to child. The curse was placed on the family many generations ago and it often became too much for most born into it, causing some members of the lineage to kill themselves. Soon Zax’s mother had fallen ill, slowly getting worse and worse until her body had given out and eventually, her heart. Zax stayed in the house for two months, mourning his mother and only friend until he set off. He had heard stories from his mother on how his father had bore another child before him. He had a sister. He wanted to find her, to find the only family he had left who might want him around.


	2. Meeting the Fairy

Deep in the forest of Eldwald sat a small, two-bedroom cottage. The cottage sat upon a farm. In a blank patch of dirt sat a young boy. In front of the boy was a mound of recently turned dirt with a stone at the head. The boy’s shoulders shook as he stay kneeling in front of the grave. “M-Mommy…” He sniffled and rubbed at his eyes before he stood, heading back inside the cottage.

When he came back out he had a backpack upon his shoulders, his weapons strapped to his back and waist. He walked back over to the grave site and places a snow-white rose upon it. “I’m heading out now, mommy. I’ll be safe, I promise. I’m going to try and find my sister. I love you, mommy.” The boy smiled sadly before turning away and walking off into the forest, leaving his home behind with what little money they had saved up. He was on his way to the nearest town to start his search.

Pulling out a map, he set off towards Magnolia. “Best to start there. If she isn’t there, then I will simply move on to the next town.” He thought aloud as he put the map back in his bag. As he walked, his heart was filled with grief. It had only been two months since his mother had passed away, three since she had fallen ill. She was his best friend; his only friend besides some animals. He had released the animals they both had raised, not heartless enough to let them die in their pins. He would not become a monster. He would not let the curse take him over.

~Time skip~   
Three weeks. It had taken him three weeks on foot to reach Magnolia. The boy pulled up his hood to hide his horns as he approached the city. “P-Pardon me!” He squeaked out as he accidentally bumped into a young woman. The woman wore armor and was carrying what seemed to be a giant horn. She had blood red hair and eyes the boy could not distinguish the exact color. The woman raised an eyebrow as he ducked his head and shifted his feet nervously. “Um… I have a question, Ma’am…” The boy looked up at her tentatively.

The woman nodded for him to go on, setting the decorated horn down and leaning against it. “I-I need help…. You see, I’m looking for my sister… But she doesn’t exactly know I exist… All I know is her name…..” The boy stuttered out with a slight blush. The woman smiled and held out her hand. “I know what it is like to search for someone. My name is Erza Scarlet, What’s yours, kid?” The woman, Erza, smiled gently at him. The boy gripped her hand and smiled slightly, shaking it. “My name is Zax Onyx-Heartfilia. It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Erza.” Zax smiled at her. “How about I take you to my guild and you can put up a job request to help search for your sister? I’d be glad to take that job.” Erza released Zax’s hand and grabbed the horn. “That would be nice of you, Miss Erza. Please lead the way.” Zax grinned, liking the woman already. She reminded him of his mom, strong but kind hearted.

Erza started walking through the town with Zax close behind her. He had a slight skip to his step as he followed, humming one of the songs his mother used to sing to him. Erza smiled as she listened to his humming. It was a soft, sad sounding song. The song ended as the two approached a large building. The two walked through the doors. The first thing that Zax noticed were two guys, maybe a year older than him, with their arms around each other and shaking hands. “I’m back. Is master present at the moment?” Erza questioned as she set the horn down.

“Welcome back! Master’s attending the regular meeting.” Someone said in response to Erza. “I see…. Why don’t you take a seat and wait for a bit?” Erza turned to Zax, who simply nodded and sat down at the nearest table. No one spared him a glance as all eyes were on Erza. “Erza, what is that humongous thing?” A man questioned. “Hmm? This? The local townspeople decorated the horn of the demon I subdued… It was so pretty that I brought it back as a souvenir. Will it be a nuisance?” She asked and looked at the guy. “N-No, not at all!!!” The guy replied, shaking his head wildly.

“Hey, Erza? Who was that who came in with you?” The same guy from before asked after he calmed down. “This is Zax, he has a job request from the master. I will be personally taking on the job as a favor to him.” She replied and Zax blushed as all eyes turned to him. He pulled his hood down a little more in an attempt to hide. “Anyway, guys… I heard you’ve been causing trouble again.” As if she sensed the boy’s discomfort, she stepped around the horn and drew the eyes back to her. “Even if master forgives you, I won’t. Kana, That’s an inappropriate drinking posture. Visitor, if you are going to dance, do it outside. Wakaba, your cigarette butts are all over the floor. Nav… Are you still hanging around the request board? Pick a job already. You guys give me so much trouble. I won’t say anything for today. By the way, are Natsu and Gray here?” Zax soon stopped paying attention and was looking around the room.

One of the women approached the boy, she was a very pretty woman with white hair. She wore a pretty dress and had the bangs pulled up into a small ponytail. She placed a glass of water in front of Zax and smiled at him. “I’m Mira, what’s your name?” Mira smiled kindly at him, making him blush shyly. “I-I’m Zax. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Mira.” Zax bowed his head slightly and took the glass of water. “Can you tell me about the job that Erza is eager to take on?” Mira asked him, making him smile softly.

“I’m searching for my family. My…. My mother passed away a couple months ago… I know my father didn’t want me, but my mother said he had another child with a different woman. A girl about 17. I thought maybe, hopefully, I’ll have someone left who wants me as family.” Zax’s eyes teared up as he spoke of his mother but gained a hopeful spark as he spoke of his lost sibling. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” Mira put a hand on Zax’s shoulder and pulled him into a quick hug before pulling away. She giggled at seeing his bright red face. “Do you know anything about her?” She asked as she looked at him. There was something familiar about him. “Just a last name… My full name is Zax Onyx-Heartfilia, so I assume her last name is Heartfilia, like my father.” Some of the guild members near them fell silent before whispering to each other. Zax ducked his head as he heard the word cursed. This was going to be a long day, Zax thought to himself.


	3. Flashbacks

Zax turned his attention back to Erza and noticed that she was talking to the two strange men that he had noticed before. “Miss Mira, who are those two strange guys and what are they doing?” Zax turned to the woman who smiled. “The one with pink hair is Natsu and the dark haired one is Gray. They are rivals but are scared of Erza so whenever she is around they act like they do now.” Mira replied and pulled out a light pen, making a drawing of each of them. “Natsu picked a fight with her and got beat up. She once found Gray walking around naked and beat him up as well. And that guy over there?” She pointed to a player looking guy. “That’s Loki. He once tried hitting on Erza and got beat up as a result. The idiot nearly got himself killed.” Mira giggled as Zax visibly paled.

“She’s just like my mom when she went into training mode, then. I miss her…” Zax mumbled the last part and looked down. Hose at the table beside his were still whispering, sneaking glances at him. It was understandable. Many of his family that didn’t kill themselves went insane, permanently trapped in their Cursed Forms. You see, the Cursed Form takes a toll on both the mind and the body. If not trained properly, the strain is too much for the mind to handle and you become stuck. Many of his ancestors had destroyed entire cities before they died because they lost control. Zax’s swords were passed down to him by his mother. She told him that they belonged to the original cursed member of the Onyx clan. 

Zax had been so lost in thought that he hadn’t noticed that Erza was beside him until she placed a hand on his shoulder. “I have a job to do. Are you trained in those?” Erza motioned to the swords strapped to his back. Zax nodded and smiled. “As soon as I was able to lift them my mom started to train me. I was about eight years old at the time. She…. She wanted me to be prepared.” Zax stated in response, reaching back and lightly gripping the handles. “Good. That means you can look after yourself. Would you like to join me on the job?” Erza asked the boy, removing her hand from his shoulder. “The only people I know are you and Miss Mira. I think I should go with you… I’m not sure I’m all that welcome here.” He whispered the last part to Erza.

“Nonsense. If anyone so much as harmed a hair on your head, they would have me to deal with.” She smiled softly at him, making him blush shyly. “T-Thank you, Miss Erza.” Zax fiddled with the end of his hood. “We leave in an hour. I’ll buy you some food before we leave and then you can join me at my house if you wish. I need to pack some things for the trip.” Erza stood and held out her hand. Zax finished his water and stood, hesitantly gripping Erza’s hand. She led him out the doors and to the left of the guild. The two walked through the streets, looking at all the restaurants. “What’s your favorite food, kid?” Erza turned her head towards him and raised an eyebrow.

“I love dumplings. Could we get some? We passed a shop not too far back that had some.” Zax grinned and pointed behind them with his free hand. Erza nodded and turned around, heading back towards the shop. “What type would you like?” She asked him as they walked back to the shop, stopping in front of it. “Chicken, please.” Zax smiled up at the taller woman. Erza smiled and motioned for him to stay as she approached the shop, releasing his hand.  
He waited patiently outside the shop, ignoring the feeling of eyes on him. When Erza reemerged from the shop she was carrying a bag. “You can eat while I pack, come on.” Erza smiled and held out her hand once again. Zax took her hand and gripped it, whispers breaking out around him from the bystanders. He hated it when people whispered. It was just so obvious that you were gossiping about someone. He ignored them the best that he could as they walked.

Soon the two arrived at Erza’s house and entered the threshold. Zax sat at the table and watched as Erza placed the bag in front of him. “Eat up, kid. I’ll be upstairs packing. Come get me if you need anything, okay?” She smiled and patted his head, making him pout and tug on his hood to hide his blush. “A-Alright, Miss Erza.” He nodded and opened the bag. His mind drifted as he ate, memories filling his mind.

~Flashback~  
“Mommy….. I can’t go on, I hurt!” A nine-year-old Zax said to his mom as she watched hen fall to his knees. “In a real battle the enemy would not stop to give you a break, you know this by now. We can stop when the time is up.” His mother said as she slipped back into a fighting stance. Zax raised his swords up in front of him. Today was a defense day, meaning he had to defend himself from his mother’s attacks. She was in her Cursed form. Her normally white hair was pitch black, her ram-like horns larger and meeting at the back of her head. Her normally sky blue eyes glowed a cold silver and her normal dress turned into armor. 

~~  
“Mommy? Mommy?! What’s wrong?” Zax ran over to his mother, who had collapsed in the garden. He dragged her unconscious body into the house and into her room. “You’ll be okay. You have to be okay.” Zax muttered as he placed her on the bed and felt her forehead. He then ran out of the house and towards the well. He needed cold water and rags, his mother had a fever. When he went back into the room, she was still unconscious. He dipped the rag into the water and rung it out before placing it on her forehead, listening to her ragged breathing. He fell asleep gripping her hand.  
~Time Skip~  
“Mommy? It’s time for your medicine.” Zax said softly as he knocked on her bedroom door, a tray in his other hand with a herbal remedy on it. Not receiving an answer, he opened the door to her room to find her asleep on her bed, her back facing the door. He set the tray on the nightstand and went over to the window, opening the curtains. Turning around, he noticed that his mother was paler than usual and…. She wasn’t moving. “Mommy….?” Zax cautiously moved over to her side and rolled her over. Even with all the blankets on her, she was cold to the touch. His mother was gone, and he didn’t get to say goodbye.

~~

Zax didn’t realize he was crying until he felt a soft hand gently wipe away his tears. He looked up to find Erza looking at him with a soft, sad smile. “It’s alright, kid. You can cry in front of me, I won’t tell.” She said and pulled him into a tight hug. Zax’s shoulders shook in silent sobs as he hugged the young woman, his grief flowing out of him in babbled words. “I-I miss h-her so much, i-it h-hurts Miss Erz-za” He managed between sobs. His heart ached as she held him tighter. Her hug was so warm….


	4. Meeting the Team

After about 20 minutes of crying, Zax pulled back and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “You feel better now?” Erza asked Zax, who simple nodded and gave her a soft smile. “Thank you for comforting me… I think it is out of my system for now.” Zax smiled up at the taller woman. “You remind me of her, you know. It’s nice… Almost like she’s still here.” He looked up at her, a few tears still left in his eyes. “I remind you of her?” Erza asked and knelt down in front of him. “She sounds like an honorable woman, then. We need to leave now though, are you full, do you want to eat more?” She asked, once again reminding him of his mother. “We can leave now if you are done packing.” Zax grinned wider and grabbed his backpack.

~Time Skip~

“Sorry…. Did we make you wait?” Erza asked as the two walked up to Natsu, Gray, a blonde woman, and talking blue cat. “Hrmm? You were in Fairy Tail earlier…” She added as she looked at the young woman. “I’m a new member, Lucy. Mira asked me to tag along. I’ll try to be useful.” The woman, Lucy, bowed in greeting. “I’m Erza and this is Zax, he is going to be joining me on jobs until I finish his. It’s nice to meet you.” Erza smiled as Zax bowed and held out a trembling hand. “I-It’s nice to meet you, Miss Lucy. My name is Zax, I hope we can become friends someday.” He said and slowly dropped his hand when she just looked at it. Feeling awkward and unwanted, he moved closer to Erza. Natsu stuck out his hand to the boy as Gray simply nodded in greeting. “I’m Natsu, we should fight sometime!” Natsu grinned as Zax took his hand and shook it firmly. “I prefer to avoid conflicts. To put it simply, I’m a lover and not a fighter.” Zax stated in a soft voice as he held onto Natsu’s hand for a moment longer. He blushed as he realized what he was doing and quickly released the older boy’s hand, stepping back and hiding behind Erza. His face was bright red as he peeked his head out from behind Erza’s shoulders. “Sorry….” He muttered as Natsu smiled, slightly confused. “But you did nothing wrong. It’s Zax right? What’s your full name?” Natsu asked out of curiosity. 

“I’d rather not say… people tend to react badly to part of my last name.” Zax slowly stepped out from behind Erza. “Leave it be, Natsu. If he doesn’t want to talk about it then don’t force him to. Make him cry and you’ll have to deal with me.” Erza placed a hand protectively on Zax’s shoulder. “Miss Erza… Maybe you should talk about the mission? I’m kind of curious on what it is...” Zax stuttered out, blushing at her protectiveness over him.

“This mission might be a bit risky, but seeing how you did on the last job, I think you’d be okay.” Erza stated and shrugged. “Risky!?” Lucy gasped, going pale. Zax sweatdropped, it was a mission from Erza, an S-class wizard. Of course, it would be risky. “I don’t know what our task is this time, but I’ll go with you, under one condition.” Natsu faced Erza with a determined look. “Condition?” Erza raised an eyebrow, causing Gray to freak out. “I-Idiot!!! I-I would work for free if it were for you Erza!!!” Gray stuttered, making Zax giggle slightly and look away when Gray looked at him. “Say it.” Erza stated calmly, a hand on her hip.

“When we return, I want you to fight me. I’m different from back then.” Natsu stated, his expression dead serious. “You’ve really grown up. I’m not confident in myself…. But okay, I accept.” Erza smiled and ran a hand through her hair before grabbing Zax’s hand. “What do you mean you’re not confident!!? Fight me seriously!!!” Natsu growled and raised a fist in front of him. “Fufu….. I know, but you’re strong. I just wanted to say that.” Erza chuckled and turned towards Gray. “Gray… Do you wish to fight me as well?” She aske the man, who shook his head frantically. “Well, then. Let’s board the train.” Erza dragged Zax on board and sat him across from Lucy, who seemed to be glaring at him, and beside herself. This was going to be a long ride for Zax.


	5. First train ride

Zax shifted awkwardly in his seat, trying to ignore Lucy’s glare. ‘Did I do something wrong?’ He thought to himself as he looked past Erza and out the window. He had never been on a train before, so the feeling of moving so fast was bizarre and made a pit form in his stomach. He had a bad feeling about this mission and he was scared. Scared the others would see just how the curse affected him. He pulled his hood farther down in order to hide his face as his eyes welled with tears. Erza seemed to notice this and mistook it as Lucy glaring at him had upset him. She placed an arm around him and glared at the girl, who turned her eyes to Natsu. Natsu was currently slouched in his seat, groaning from motion sickness.

“You’re so hopeless, Natsu.” Gray scoffed from his place besides the pinkette, Lucy on his other side. “Go sit somewhere else if you’re going to be annoying… Even better, don’t ride on the train!! Just run!!” Gray rolled his eyes as he said this. Natsu just groaned and covered his mouth. “I know it happens every time… But it looks really painful.” Lucy stated as she watched Natsu. “I…. I might be able to help. My mother taught me a lot about plants and herbs, I have some healing ones in my bag. They will help with the sickness but will make him sleepy.” Zax scooted over and motioned for Natsu to sit beside him as he dug through his backpack. Natsu plopped down as Zax pulled out the right herb and handed Natsu a few leaves. “Chew thoroughly before you swallow, please.” Zax smiled sweetly as Natsu nodded, chewing the sweet tasting leaves with a slight blush. Zax went back to looking out the window, watching the passing scenery. He was startled out of his peaceful trance when something fell onto his shoulder. Natsu had fallen asleep and was subconsciously leaning on Zax, who was blushing bright red. The boy reached up and patted Natsu’s head before turning back to the window.

He could feel Lucy’s glare and suppressed a shudder. She rolled her eyes and turned to Erza. “Now that I think about it… I’ve never seen any other magic in Fairy Tail except for Natsu’s. What kind of magic do you use, Erza?” Lucy asked the redheaded woman. “Erza’s magic is beautiful. Plenty of blood came out in the end. It was her opponents blood.” The blue cat, Zax now knew as Happy, had beamed up at Lucy. “How is that beautiful?” Lucy sweatdropped at the cat. “It’s nothing special… I think Gray’s magic is much more beautiful.” Erza waved off Happy’s compliments. “It is?” Gray questioned dubiously. “Can I see?” Zax looked at the ravenette. “The only magic I have seen was mine and my mom’s” He added on as Gray looked at him, an eyebrow raised. Gray nodded and held out the palm of his hand before slapping his fist, knuckles out, into the center of his open hand. He slowly removed his fingers to reveal the guild symbol made out of ice. Zax looked at it in amazement as Lucy let out a happy sound. “That’s amaz-“ Zax was cut off by Lucy’s glare. “What is it?” She turned Gray, now ignoring the boy. “It’s Ice Magic.” Gray said, catching the glare she had given Zax. “Ice doesn’t really suit you though.” She said in a slightly flirtatious tone. “I think it suits him…” Zax mumbled, causing Gray to turn to him. As he went to reply to the boy, Lucy let out a gasp of realization. “Ice and Fire!! No wonder you two don’t get along!” Lucy giggled and brought a hand to her mouth to cover it.

“Is that so?” Erza looked at Gray, who remained silent for a few seconds. “Who cares about that!?” Gray crossed his arms and looked away. “Anyway, what’s going on? You asking for help doesn’t happen that often.” Gray turned back to her and raised an eyebrow. “I was on my way back from work when I stopped by at a bar Onibas, where mages gather. Some folks there caught my attention. They were loud and noisy. One mentioned something about “Lullaby”. Whatever it is, if it was sealed away it must have been for a reason. It probably contains some powerful magic.” Zax had snapped out of his trance when he heard Erza mention Lullaby and fell silent, tensing slightly. “I don’t get it… So, you come across some folks who wanted to break the seal of some unknown magic… Maybe that’s all it was, their job… Nothing special.” Gray shrugged and turned his eyes to Zax, who had gone pale with fear. “You okay, Zax?” He added, making Erza look at the boy and place an arm around him. Zax simply nodded and looked down at his lap. As if sensing his discomfort, Natsu nuzzled his head closer to Zax’s neck. The boy turned red and leaned his head against Natsu’s, successfully disregarding Lucy glaring at the two of them. Zax felt safe for some reason.

“Yeah… That’s what I told myself, too, and didn’t give it anymore thought… Until I remembered the name Eligor. The ace mage of guild Eisenwald, Shinigami Eligor.” Erza leaned forward slightly. “Shinigami!!?” Lucy gasped out and covered her mouth. “It’s a nickname people gave him because he kept taking up assassination requests. The council prohibits mages from taking assassination requests, but Eisenwald chose money.” The train came to a stop and Erza stood, Zax waited and gently shook Natsu to wake him. “Six years ago, the guild was ousted from the mage guild league and is now categorized as a dark guild.” Erza said as the group followed her to retrieve their luggage. Lucy began to sweat profusely. “Lucy’s skin is producing juice!!” Happy exclaimed as he flew beside the blond. “I see…” Gray said as he grabbed his bag and followed Erza out of the train. Zax and Natsu followed close behind him, Natsu leaning heavily on the slightly shorter male. Zax’s face was still red, making Natsu give him a funny look. “Wait!!! You said ousted... But didn’t they get punished!?” Lucy all but yelled as she brought up the rear. 

She moved around Natsu and Zax, bumping into the younger boy on purpose. “They were. Eisenwald’s master was arrested and the guild was ordered to disband themselves.” Erza said and turned, not catching what Lucy did to Zax. This was going to be a long mission for Zax, that much was definite.


	6. Lullaby

Erza looked at Lucy with a deathly serious look in her eyes. “Although, most of the “Dark” guilds keep on functioning and ignore the order.” This time, Lucy brought both hands up and looked as if she was going to be sick. “Maybe I’ll go back home…” She turned, shaking, towards the train. “Again?” Happy tilted his head as he watched Lucy. “It was a blunder on my part… If only I remembered the name Eligor back then at the bar… I would’ve put them all in a blood offering…” Erza said the last part with a murderous look in her eyes.

Lucy gave a squeal of fright and Zax sighed, moving closer to Erza and placing his free hand on her arm. “You need to calm down, you’re scaring people.” He said in a soft voice. It was true, many bystanders had stopped what they were doing and were watching them. A little boy had even begun to cry. Zax approached the boy and knelt down, digging through his bag. He showed a sucker to the mother, who smiled and nodded, before giving it to the boy. The child quickly quieted as Zax went back to the group to catch the end of the conversation. “Don’t call it juice.” Lucy told happy, who had commented on her sweating yet again. Realizing he left something on the train, Zax went back onto it with Natsu following him.

As Zax was searching for what he had forgotten, the train began to pull away. He sat up quickly with a start and looked up to find Natsu groaning on the seat beside his head. He sat beside Natsu and puled out a couple more leaves. He had to manually pry Natsu’s mouth open, the pinkette being too out of it to do anything but groan. Feeling slightly sleepy, Zax continued his search. He managed to find a conductor and ask if anything was turned in as found. He almost started crying at the sight of his mother’s necklace and bowed in thanks. When he returned to Natsu, he found a man sitting across from him.

“Excuse me but… who are you?” Zax fidgeted slightly before clasping his mother’s necklace in place around his neck. “Just someone who needed a seat. Your friend is awake, by the way. I’m guessing you are Zax? He asked for you.” The stranger said right before the train screeched to a halt, causing Zax to go flying into the seat and land in Natsu’s lap. The man’s bag slid open, the flute known as Lullaby went sliding out of it. Zax’s eyes went wide and he got up, running to the other side of the train. He watched from a safe distance as Natsu got up and punched the guy in the jaw, his fist surrounded in flames. The man was sent flying into the next train car. “Fly punch!!” Natsu sneered as he held up his fist. 

“We’ve confirmed that the emergency break was due to a false report. We’ll depart shortly. We apologize for your inconvenience.” The conductor said over the intercom, making Natsu pale. Natsu quickly grabbed his stuff and jumped out the window, noticing too late that he had left Zax on the train. The man grabbed Zax before he could get to the window, making his hood fall. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t a member of the Onyx clan. This explains why you were so scared, let alone knew what Lullaby was. It can make you lose control, can’t it?” The man chuckled as he looked at Zax’s horns. “Used to have one of you in the guild, until she ran away. Claimed she was in love. Pathetic.” The guy rolled his eyes. “Though, I only heard stories of her. She left about eighteen years ago.” He used his magic to bind Zax’s arms. “Here’s the deal. Either you work for me, or I use Lullaby on you. Deal?” The man gave Zax no choice, either way he would hurt those he cared for. Zax slowly nodded and sat across from the man.  
~Meanwhile~  
Natsu went flying from the train and collided head first with Gray. The rest of the group had finally caught up to the train using a magic car from Onibas. “Natsu!!! Are you okay!!?” Erza asked as she stopped the car and she, Lucy, and Happy rushed over to the two arguing males. “Happy!! Erza!! Lucy!! You’re terrible!!! How could you leave us behind!!?” Natsu growled out between clenched teeth. “I’m happy you’re safe.” Erza said as she moved her hand, dragging Natsu’s head to her armored chest with a clank. “How am I safe!!? A weirdo tried to pick a fight with me and probably has Zax!!! What was the name…? Ei…. Sen…. Wald?” Natsu scratched his chin. “Idiot!!!!” Erza slapped Natsu, leaving a bright red handprint.

“Eisenwald is what we’re after!!” Erza practically had steam out of her ears. “That was the first time I heard that…” Natsu stated with a deadpanned face. “Why weren’t you listening to my story!!?” Erza had an irk mark on the back of her head. “It was the medicine Zax gave me, they made me fall asleep.” Natsu stated simply. Erza rushed to the car as realization struck her. Zax was still on the train with the guy from Eisenwald


	7. Eisenwald takes over

“Let’s chase the train!!! What did the guy look like?” Erza turned to look at Natsu as she fastened the strap to the car back on her wrist. “Nothing special. He carried a flute with a skull on one end of it. A skull with three eyes.” Natsu frowned and looked at the car. “What? That’s gross.” Gray looked at the pinkette with a deadpanned look. “A flute with a three-eyed skull…” Lucy mumbled to herself, trembling slightly. “What’s up, Lucy?” Happy asked as he flew up beside her.

“It can’t be…. It’s just a made up story.. but… If that flute is the cursed song… Lullaby… Sleep… Death…. That flute is the Lullaby, the magic of “death”!!!” Lucy managed to get out as she shook in fear. “What!?” Erza looked shocked and turned towards the blond. “I’ve only read about it in a book but among forbidden magic, there is such a thing as “murder by curse,” right?” Lucy explained as Erza sat down in the drivers seat. “Yeah… Just like the name, it’ll curse the target and cast “Death.” It’s a black magic.” Erza stated her reply and grabbed the steering wheel. “Lullaby is worse than that.” Lucy stated, her face dead serious.

~Meanwhile at Kunugi station~

“Get all the guests and the driver off the train. Eisenwald is taking over.” The leader, Eligor, ordered. His men nodded and ran off to complete their task. Eligor then walked onto the train and approached the man who had captured Zax. “I heard you were going to come back on this train so we’ve been waiting for you, Kageyama.” Eligor said to the man, holding his scythe over his shoulder. “I managed to break the seal and even brought back a special treat. Here it is, this is Lullaby.” The man, Kageyama, chuckled as he handed his leader the flute. “And the treat?” Eligor asked as he closed his hand around the flute. “A member of the Onyx clan at our disposal.” Kageyama grinned and motioned to Zax, who looked away. Eligor grinned at the boy, a glint in his eyes. “We have the forbidden magic, Lullaby. This flute was just a tool for “murder by curse” at first, but the dark mage, Zelef, further developed this into a magical flute. “Mass-curse murder magic” Lullaby… that puts a death curse on everyone who hears its melody. Except for those in the Onyx clan. It causes insanity and eventually death, isn’t that right, little Onyx?” Eligor all but mocked Zax, waving the flute in front of him. “Let the show begin!!!” Eligor cackled out.

~With team Natsu~

The team raced as fast as they could after the train. “Mass-curse murder magic!!? If Eligor got a hold of such a thing… Bastards!!! What are they trying to do!!?” Erza ground out as she pushed the car to go faster. When they finally reached the station, the train was gone. “They took over a train!!?” Lucy gasped, practically hanging out the window. “Looks like it.” Happy said as he peeked out beside her. “I can understand if it’s a horse-drawn carriage or a boat, but a train…?” Lucy thought out loud. “Aye… It can only run on the rails so it’s not very beneficial to take over, huh?” Happy responded to Lucy’s thoughts. “But it’s got speed.” Gray added, his face grim.

“Maybe they’re in a hurry to carry out something they’ve planned?” Gray asked as he began to strip from his spot on top of the car. ‘The military forces are already on the case, so it’s probably just a matter of time until they get arrested.” Lucy all but sighed in relief. “I sure hope so.” Erza muttered before focusing on steering.

~With Zax on the train~

“Flies?” Eligor asked from his seat, one foot on the seat. “Yes. He was on the train until a minute ago. Really, he’s nothing but a joke.” Kageyama responded as Eligor ground his teeth together. Zax pressed himself against the wall, trying to stay out of the way. Eligor attacked at that moment, his scythe cutting into the cartilage of Kageyama’s ears. Kageyama fell to his knees, his hands covering his ears. “Don’t tell me he found out about the flute.” Eligor glared at Kageyama. “Even if he did, no one would be able to stop this plan!!!” Kageyama groaned in pain. 

“Of course. But we don’t want anyone to get in the way. Do I make myself clear?” Eligor twirled Lullaby in his hand. “Flies, huh… There are some forests were they really shouldn’t be flying.” He added and let his hand rest between his legs.


	8. Let the battle begin

“Erza!! You’re going too fast!!! The S.E. plug is inflating!” Gray yelled as Erza tore through the streets in the car. “If someone plays that flute, many people, including Zax, will die… Human lives will end by the melody of the flute.” Erza yelled so Gray could hear her. “I know that, but right now we are clueless about their intentions… Since we might have to fight them, you should slow down so your magic power won’t be drained before it’s needed.” Gray said as he held on to the top of the car. 

“I don’t care. Worse comes to the worst, I’ll grab a stick and fight. Besides, I still have you guys.” Erza said as she swerved to avoid some people. “I think I had something to tell you, Lucy. I can’t remember, though.” Happy said from his place inside the car, sitting besides Lucy. “What?” The blond girl asked as she watched Natsu. “I just told you, I can’t remember.” Happy said as he turned to look at her. “You’re making me curious, try to remember.” Lucy said as she moved to help Natsu, who had stuck his head out the window. “Ah!! What is that…?” She asked as she saw smoke in the distance.

~At Oshibana Station~ 

Team Natsu shoved their way through the crowd that gathered around the station entrance. “Ladies and gentlemen!! Please stay back it’s dangerous here. A train was derailed by accident, so no one is allowed to go into the station!! Until we can confirm the safety inside, the station will be closed to the public.” A man said through a megaphone, causing the crowd to murmur. Erza managed to make her way to the front and grabbed one of the employees. “What’s going on inside?” Erza demanded and headbutted him when he didn’t answer fast enough. She did this two more times, allowing Gray, Natsu, Happy, and Lucy to slip by unnoticed.

~With Zax inside the station~  
Zax stood at the back of the Eisenwald members. They had defeated a military platoon and were now waiting for Fairy Tail. He secretly hoped they wouldn’t come. He looked up as footsteps approached, his heart sinking into his feet. “I knew you’d come, Fairy Tail.” Eligor greeted from his spot, sitting atop the train. “We’ve been waiting for you.” He added with a smirk. “That’s… The armor girl from the other day.” A man from the crowd muttered. “I see… So, it was you who leaked out our plan.” The man beside him stated, making the first man gulp.

Zax watched as Lucy attempted to wake Natsu, failing miserably. “Flies… It’s all because of you.” Kageyama growled out, gingerly touching his bandaged ears. Zax had treated his wounds without being asked. He was not a cruel person, he wouldn’t let someone get an infected wound. Natsu stirred at the sound of Kageyama’s voice. “What do you intend to do? Depending on your answer, I might have to make you pay for it.” Erza glared at the group, searching for Zax. Their eyes met and Zax gave a brief nod, signaling he was alright.

“We just want to fool around. We’ve got no job and we’re really bored.” Eligor stated, causing his men to laugh. “Don’t you understand yet? What do they have inside a train station?” He said as he used his wind magic to fly above the train. “Time’s up.” He said as he flew over to the broadcasting system and tapped against it with is forearm. “Are you going to broadcast the Lullaby!!!?” Erza asked, her eyes going wide. All Eligor did at first was laugh.

“There are hundreds… No, thousands of people gathering around this station now. If we broadcast it loud enough, maybe even the entire town will hear the melody of death.” Eligor cackled out. “Indiscriminate mass-murder!?” Erza managed between clenched teeth. “We are simply cleaning up those fools who live their lives enjoying their rights, not knowing that there are people who have been revoked of their rights.” He did a flip in the air, tilting his head back. “Living a life oblivious to the unfairness of the world is a sin. Thus, the Shinigami has come to punish them. A punishment called “Death”!!!” He flew to one of the window ledges and landed.

“Your rights will never be returned if you do that!!!” Lucy yelled out and then mumbled something under her breath that Zax couldn’t hear from his spot beside the train. “Now that we have come this far, it’s not the “right” that we seek. We seek “authority.” If we have “authority,” we can simply wipe off the past and control the future” Eligor ranted, making Zax roll his eyes. He watched as Kageyama made his way through the crowd of dark guild members. “What a pity for you little flies… To die without getting a glimpse of the dark age!!!” He yelled as he crouched down, launching an attack that appeared from the shadows in the middle of Team Natsu. 

“I knew it was you!!!” Natsu yelled as he got up and destroyed the shadow arm with a flame-covered fist. “This time we’re on a real battleground!!!” Natsu grinned, fully revived. He then took a moment to look at the crowd, his eyes going wide. “Oh!! There are so many of them… Wait, is that Jaz? What’re you doing over there, buddy!?” Natsu yelled to the boy, who hung his head in shame as he moved to the front of the crowd. Eligor smirked as he watched the exchange happen. “Please… you have to defeat me…” Jax muttered, Natsu’s ears catching the soft spoken words. Natsu gave a slight nod as Lucy pointed, sneering. “This is the strongest team in Fairy Tail. Prepare yourself!!” The blond said as the team all looked at the crowd. The crowd stared right back, some of them smirking.

“I’ll leave the rest to you while I go play the flute. Let these clueless flies feel the power of Eisenwald’s darkness.” With that, Eligor flew through the window and out of sight. “Natsu, Gray!! Both of you, go after him. If you work together, there’s no way you could lose to Eligor. Lucy and I will take care of things here.” Erza stated and looked at Lucy, who had begun to tremble and sweat. “Eligor is planning to use Lullaby in this station. We have to prevent that from happening, no matter what.” She turned back to the two boys and glared at them. “Are you listening to me!!? Go!!” She yelled, causing them to jump and run in the direction Eligor went. Let the battle begin.


	9. Fighting Eisenwald

One of the men from the crowd ran after Natsu and Gray, followed closely by Kageyama. “Once we take care of these people, we’ll go after them.” Erza said to Lucy, who nodded with an “Okay.” “What can two girls do…? Both of them are gorgeous, though.” One of the men in the crowd stated, a blush on his cheeks as he grinned. “How about we catch them and sell them?” Another beamed to his companion. Zax rolled his eyes. As if Erza would let herself be sold. The mere thought had him chuckling. The men from the crowd fell silent as they looked at him. 

“What the hell is so funny, runt!?” A man yelled at Zax, making the younger boy turn to them and smile. “You are, idiot. You honestly think they will just let you capture them? I’d love to see you try” He laughed before a grey mist swirled around him as he turned back around. “I’m sorry, Miss Erza and Miss Lucy. I’m afraid I have no choice but to fight you. I beg you, please knock me out.” He said as he looked into Erza’s eyes with a serious look in his own. “Cursed Magic, Takeover!” He said and tilted his head back, letting his hood fall as his body changed. His horns grew to the point where they almost dwarfed his head and seemed to come out of nowhere as his white hair grew down to his waist. His canines grew into fangs that stuck out from behind his lips. His normal blue eyes turned a silvery-grey color with a slit in the center that was similar to a cat. He smirked as Erza drew one of her swords, his sweet personality doing a one-eighty degree turn.

“Bring it on, Pixie” Zax laughed, his voice deeper in his cursed form. Erza charged at the guild members who had run past Zax, easily taking them down. She used different weapons, including a spear and twin swords and even an axe. “Th-This woman… How can she ex-quip her weapons so fast!!?” One of the men stuttered out. “Magic swords are just like your stellar spirits: They are stored in a different space and you can summon them as you please. We call that procedure to switch between weapons: ex-quip.” Happy explained to Lucy, who looked at Erza in amazement.

Zax’s attention was brought back to Erza when he noticed she had switched armor. The armor had wings attached to the back with swords surrounding her. “The Knight!!!” Erza said as she grabbed one of the swords. “Dance, my swords.” She said and the swords started to spin around her. “Circle sword.” At her command, the swords spread out and attacked the men who surrounded her. “Th-There’s no doubt about it!!! She’s the strongest woman in Fairy Tail: Erza the Titania!!!” One of the last standing men yelled as his friend was knocked out with one hit. The man ran off with gasping breaths, leaving Zax with Erza and Lucy.

“Tch. Weakling.” Zax scoffed and rolls his eyes. “He might be heading to Eligor. Lucy, go after him. I’ll deal with Zax.” Erza said as she watched the man disappear. “Eeeh!!? Me!!?” Lucy gaped at her, making her glare at the blond. “Please!!” Erza glared as Lucy ran off after the man. Once she was gone, Erza switched back to her normal armor. Zax sighed and looked at her with a blank stare. “You out of magic power, then?” He asked, the normal Zax taking control. Erza simply nodded and watched as Zax walked away. “I won’t fight someone who is at a weak point. I’ll go after Natsu and Gray.” He threw his hand up in a wave.

~With Natsu and Gray~

“Listen, Natsu. Our opponent is an idiot who is planning to use a dangerous magic. If you find him, just crush him to pieces.” Gray said as the two prepared to go their separate ways, clenching his fist. “That’s not all, right? He’s a big idiot who picked a quarrel with Fairy Tail. I’ll just burn him black like charcoal.” Natsu stated as his hand caught on fire, his face determined. The two both grinned at the same time and gaped at each other before turning away with a “Hmp.”

“Don’t die” Gray muttered as the two began walking. “Nmm?” Natsu paused and turned, making Gray speed up. “Nothing!!! Just hurry and go!!!” Gray yelled at the pinkette, not turning around as he walked. “Tch. If he’s going to broadcast the death curse melody, it’s going to be a mess.” Gray muttered as he walked down the hallway, looking at one of the speakers. “Broadcast!!?” Gray froze. “That’s right!!! If he’s going to broadcast the Lullaby, Eligor must be in the room with the public broadcasting system!!!” He swiftly turned and rushed to find the right room.

Once he found the room marked ‘Studio,’ he kicked the door in. He entered the room, only to find it empty. “Why is he not here? This is the only room to make such a broadcast.” Gray thought aloud as he looked around, not noticing the man hanging from the ceiling. “W-Wait… It’s strange that he’s not here… Does that mean he never planned to broadcast it?” He was right under the man now and still had no clue. The man used some shadow-like threads to attack Gray, who dodged by jumping away. “You… Your instinct is too good. You’ll be a nuisance to our plan.” The man smirked as the smoke cleared. “So, there really is something going on, huh? Geez… And you were complaining about not having any real work to do…” Gray smirked and got into a fighting stance.


	10. Revealing the truth

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the station, murmurs spread through the large crowd. “Military personnel went in, but they haven’t come back out yet.” One of the men whispered to the woman next to him. “Have they been defeated by the terrorists?” The woman asked as Erza walked down the steps of the station entrance. As she walked past the conductor, she ripped the megaphone from his hands and raised it to her lips. “If you value your life, leave here immediately!!! The station is occupied by evil mages!!!! One of them is ready to cast a spell that will kill everyone around here!!!! Evacuate as far away as possible!!!” She yelled into the megaphone, causing the crowd to go silent. Once her words registered, those in the crowd turned tail and fled.

“H-Hey!!! Why are you making people panic?!” The conductor asked Erza as she dropped the megaphone with a thud. “It’s better than to see them die. What I just said is the truth. Of course, we are doing our best to prevent it. But we can’t guarantee your safety, so it’s best for you to evacuate, too.” Erza cautioned the man as she faced him, the wind blowing her hair into her face. The conductor and the man with him gave shrieks of fright and ran off.

~With Gray, inside the station~

“I’ll kill anyone who gets in the way of our plan.” The man grinned slyly as he landed with one foot on the ground. “Plan or whatever, if you want to broadcast the Lullaby, this is the only place to do it.” Gray rebuked before a thought struck him. “If Eligor, who has the Lullaby, isn’t here, why did you occupy the station?” He questioned the man standing across from him. The man simply smirked and attacked, destroying the broadcasting equipment in the process. The man then turned his attack towards Gray, who blocked it with a wall of ice. “What is your real plan?” The fairy tail mage interrogated his enemy. “It’s about time that Eligor’s magic wall of wind forms.” The man retracted his attack. “Magic wall of wind?” Gray inquired. “It’s a wind barrier to keep you guys from leaving this place.” 

~Outside with Erza~

And a wind barrier it was. Wind had surrounded the entire station, making Erza’s hair whip around wildly. “Hey Titania.” Eligor greeted the redhead from above as he rode the wind. “Did you do this?!” Erza glared up at the man, not even attempting to tame her wild, wind whipped hair. “I wanted to fight you just once… But unfortunately, I don’t have time for that right now. Just stay inside and be a good girl.” With that being said, Eligor attacked Erza and sent her flying into the wall. “Eligor!” Erza snarled as she landed on her feet. She grunted in pain as her hand touched the wall of wind. “Don’t bother… This magic wall of wind only goes one way: from outside to inside. If you try to get out, the wind will slice up your body.” Eligor stated as he watched Erza.

“What are you doing!!?” Erza yelled after looking at her injured hand and glared up at Eligor. “It’s a birdcage… Or rather, a flycage. Though, it’s a little too big for that.” Eligor laughed, an evil glint in his eyes. “I’ve wasted too much time on you. Now, if you’ll excuse me…” He added and took off, riding the wind. Erza stared at the spot where Eligor was before looking at the wall of wind. “What’s…. Going on….? This station isn’t their target!?” She clenched her injured hand into a fist, blood dripping from the wounds upon the floor. Zax walked down the steps slowly, having returned to his normal form. “Here. This will help stop the bleeding.” He mumbled softly, pulling a light green herb from his bag and holding it out to her. “Would you let me clean your wounds and bandage your arm?” He inquired attentively, looking at the minuscule puddle of blood that was forming on the ground.

Erza said nothing and gave a simple nod, glowering at the ground. “It was a trap the whole time. I would have warned you, but they threatened to use Lullaby on me. That curse has a bad effect on my bloodline.” Zax sighed softly as he took out a roll of bandages from his pack, applying an ointment to the wounds on Erza’s hand and arm before wrapping the bandages. “What do you mean it has a bad effect on your bloodline?” Erza asked, turning her gaze from the ground and meeting Zax’s cautious gaze.

“Have you ever heard of people who have demon like features going crazy? Every member of my bloodline is cursed. We usually have horns or a tail, sometimes both, at birth and many choose to hide it because of what our ancestors have done. They… Lose their minds to the demon form. Some have destroyed cities, caused disasters. We have to train from age four to have a strong mind and body so that does not happen. The Lullaby has the ability to cause even the sanest Onyx go crazy.” Zax maintained eye contact as he reached up, taking off his hood to reveal his horns. “From birth, we are monsters. I know I’m not the only Onyx out there, but I don’t want to be a monster anymore. I just want… To be like everyone else.” Zax’s eyes began to fill with tears as he confessed what had resided in his heart since he was little.


	11. Find Kage

Meanwhile, as Natsu wandered through the halls, Gray was busy dealing with the Eisenwald Mage he was faced against. Gray threw a kick at the mage, sending him flying across the room as the hit landed. “I hate complicated stories, so just tell me what’s going on!!” Gray snarled out as he glared at the mage. “We trapped the flies in here because you guys came out of nowhere. Originally, we occupied this station to block off all transportation access to Clover station, the last stop. That town is on the other side of a huge ravine, and there’s no transportation other than this train. Unless, of course, you can fly like Eligor.” The dark mage smirked as he began to stand back up. “So, the Lullaby’s heading there!!?” Gray gaped at the man, the realization hitting him.

“Just think carefully of what’s currently going on at Clover!!!” The mage attacked, hitting Gray. The Eisenwald mage grinned as Gray gritted his teeth. “That town is where those geezers are having their regular meeting!!! Your real target is the guild masters!!!?” Gray grunted as he gripped his bleeding shoulder. The mage simply started laughing. “You’re doing a pretty outrageous thing against geezers with powerful magic.” Gray stated as though he was calm, his mind running a mile a minute. “Playing the flute for geezers who are unaware of what’s gonna happen should be easy. I’m sure Eligor can do it just fine on his own. Besides, people like you guys who are in our way can’t leave this station. Yup… That means no one can stop us now. We’re taking revenge for the oppression we had in the past!!! Everything will disappear into thin air!!!” The mage’s ranting was interrupted as a hand was shoved into his face.

Ice seeped from the hand and surrounded the mage’s head, who grunted in pain. “We’ll stop it. And make you regret that you’ve targeted our ‘parents.’ I’ll teach you that there are guilds more frightening than a dark guild!!!” With that being said, Gray walked out of the room and retraced his steps to find Erza in the middle of interrogating one of the Eisenwald mages while Zax treated some of their wounds. “Why the hell are you helping me, runt?” The mage he was currently working on glared at him. “Because I can’t stand to see people hurting and technically I’m not in Fairy Tail so you are not my enemy.” Zax responded calmly as he wrapped the mages wounds, tight enough to stop the bleeding but not enough to cut off the circulation.

“Erza!!!” Gray hollered from atop the balcony. “Gray!? Aren’t you with Natsu?” Erza asked as she looked up from the guy she was interrogating. “I lost him. I mean, no time for that!!! The true target of Eisenwald is the town ahead!!! The town where the geezers are currently holding their regular meeting… He intends to use the Lullaby over there!!!” Gray yelled down to the redhead, his eyes drifting towards where Zax was tending to the dark mages. “I got the general idea from him, but this station is surrounded by the magic wall of win-“ Erza was cut off by Gray as he leaned over the railing. “Yeah!! I just saw it!! If we force ourselves out, we’ll be minced!!” Gray yelled as he topped the railing and jumped down from the balcony, landing with his knees bent in a crouched position. “Eligor’s getting closer to the masters while we waste our time here…” Erza trailed off and looked over at Zax.

The boy had just finished up with the last Eisenwald mage, who thanked him quietly in return, and stood up. “I asked them if they knew how to stop the wind as I treated them. They know nothing on the matter. However, their comrade Kage broke the seal of Lullaby by himself. Maybe he could help us?” Zax tilted his hooded head as he asked the two Fairy’s looked at him. “Is he a dispeller!!? He might be able handle the magic wall of wind!!!” Gray dragged his eyes away from Zax and looked at Erza before rushing towards the door. “Look for him!!! Capture Kage!!!” He yelled, Zax running beside him before noticing the blood on Gray’s clothes. “Wait!! I need to treat your wounds first, Gray.” Zax stopped in his tracks and began to search through his pack for the right herbs. Pulling out herbs to stop the bleeding and ease the pain, along with a roll of bandages, and looked at the slightly older male. “I um… I need you to remove your jacket and shirt please.” Zax wouldn’t meet the raven-haired male’s gaze, playing with his fingers as Gray stared at him, before shrugging. “I have no problem with that.” He said, unbuttoning his jacket and taking off his shirt to reveal his toned body.

Zax took a hesitant step forward, trying to ignore the feeling of his face heating up as if he were sitting beside a camp fire, and held out the herbs. “Please chew and swallow these. They will stop the bleeding and ease any pain you may have right now.” He whispered softly, his gaze towards the floor. As Gray chewed the herbs, Zax started to wrap the bandages around Gray’s bicep and shoulder. After making sure the bandages were securely in place, he took a few steps back and looked away. “I’ve finished…. You can put your clothes back on if you want to.” Zax mumbled and stared at his shoes, suddenly finding them immensely interesting. “Hmm… Don’t want to. Your reaction is too cute.” Gray stated as if it were a simple fact, making Zax’s face go bright red and making Erza get a tick mark on her forehead. “Let’s go. We need to find Kage.” Erza said and began walking away. Zax rushed after her, not noticing Gray’s blush or the fact he was staring at him.


End file.
